QUEENS, N.Y. -
On Friday, 10th-year coach Kim Barnes Arico announced her resignation as St. John's women's basketball coach. Barnes Arico informed her team and staff of her departure at an afternoon meeting. Associate head coach Joe Tartamella will serve as interim head coach, while a national search for St. John's next women's basketball coach will begin immediately.

Barnes Arico has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Michigan, replacing Kevin Borseth.

"We thank Kim for the great work she has done lifting our program to a prominent level," remarked St. John's Director of Athletics Chris Monasch. "The foundation has been built and the aspiration of our program is to continue to compete among the nation's best. Our appreciation and best wishes go out to Kim and her family."

During her 10-year tenure with the Red Storm, Barnes Arico compiled a 176-134 record and four NCAA Tournament berths, including three-straight appearances from 2010-12. She recorded five 20-win seasons and became St. John's all-time winningest coach in February 2012. Barnes Arico transformed a program that had zero BIG EAST wins the year before she arrived to a national competitor. She was twice named BIG EAST Coach of the Year, in 2006 and 2012. In 2011-12, she was also noted on U.S. Basketball Writers' Association's National Coach of the Year Watch List.

This season, Barnes Arico coached the Red Storm to its first-ever Sweet 16 with the school's highest tournament seeding in history after reaching the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 1988. Under her guidance the team recorded the highest top 25 rankings in school history in both the Associated Press and ESPN-USAToday Coaches Polls.

Tartamella has been an integral part of St. John's rise during his nine years with the program. Tartamella was elevated to associate head coach in May 2008 after serving as assistant coach for three seasons. He is a well-known recruiter and was instrumental in landing the 2009-10 class that ESPN.com ranked the 10th-best in the nation and best in the BIG EAST.